


Rolling

by howlsawiz



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Recreational Drug Use, Self-Destruction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 03:11:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9697124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howlsawiz/pseuds/howlsawiz
Summary: After game end, Prompto has a hard time accepting life without Noctis. He's no longer the happy go-lucky self. No more jokes, no more photo ops. The only way he feels good is getting into the nightlife. The high is the only way he can hear Noctis again.





	1. Chapter 1

The bass pulsed as bodies bounced and danced in the cramped building. The air, salty with sweat, felt heavy and yet freeing at the same time. Black lights caused the splashes of neon paint to glow on various body parts.

In the center of the writhing throng of bodies, Prompto grinded against a girl in a crop top and booty shorts. He opened his mouth and she placed a tablet on the center of his tongue. He closed his mouth and swallowed. Once he got what he wanted from her, he moved on and waited for it to kick in. The good thing about being irresistible, he could always get things for free.

Slowly the music spoke to him more, the glow of the black lights on the neon paint and glow sticks heightened. He was feeling good again. Now to find someone to dazzle for some shots.

As if on cue, a girl walked up to him with a rack of test tubes full of brightly colored liquid. Raven was a regular at the club and always seemed to know what Prompto wanted. Her black hair clung to her sweaty skin and her dark eyes always reminded him of…

“Noct,” he breathed. He took a tube from the rack and shot it back and tossed the tube away. He touched her soft face and brought it to his. He pressed his lips against hers, his hands running through her hair. She pulled away after a moment or two. She smiled, her teeth glowing a blue-purple.

“I see you’ve already found yourself a good trip.” She leaned into him and kissed his neck.

Prompto groaned and pulled her closer. Her body felt like silk.

She took the pacifier that hung from his neck and popped it into his mouth. “Gotta protect those pearly whites. Come on,” she seemed to whisper, but it cut through the pulsing music and reached his ears like the clearest bell on a silent dawn. She took his hand and led him into the crowd.

Lines of glowing greens and yellows flashed in front of Prompto’s eyes as surrounding people waved their glow sticks. All he could think of was the energy of the room and how Raven’s body felt against his. Her black hair, the glow of the paint on her face, those dark eyes flashing under the club’s lights. Noct’s eyes sparkling like the night sky.

_Go home._

Prompto turned. He could have sworn he heard…

_Prompto, go home._

Noct?

 

Raven giggled as Prompto pressed her against the cold wall of his room. Those dark eyes. That black hair. He kissed her neck. She gripped his hair and gasped. She wrapped both legs around his waist and he carried her to the bed. He dropped her onto her back. She sat up and peeled the black shirt off his body. For a brief moment, he saw Noctis’ face in hers. He reached out to touch his face. Everything went dark.

***

Each knock was a blow to his head. Prompto groaned and rolled over. His bed was empty. Raven knew better than to stay for the crash.

The knocks turned to pounds.

He sat up slowly, holding his head. The crash was the worst part, but he had heard Noctis that time. What had he taken? He needed more.

Again, the pounding.

The room was blurry and nothing seemed to stay still. He stabilized himself against the wall as he tried to make his way to the front door. Bottles clinked and clanked every few steps he took.

“Prompto, open up,” Gladio demanded.

“M’comin’,” he mumbled.

The sound of a key in the lock, a click, and the door swung open. Ignis and Gladio filled the doorway.

“What the hell is this mess?” Gladio commented and kicked empty glass bottles and clothes out of the path of Ignis.

“When was the last time you cleaned anything?” Ignis asked.

“What does it matter?” Prompto shot. He grabbed an orange bottle and extracted a pill, popped it into his mouth and washed it down with the last of a can of Ebony he found on the counter. It was warm and flat, but he didn’t care. Whatever worked.

“You went out again last night, didn’t you?” Gladio demanded.

“Look, I’m taking the medication you insist I take. It doesn’t help.”

“It would work much better if you took it with energy drinks,” Ignis pointed out. He pulled a chair out from the table, checked if there was anything on it, then eased himself down, crossing his arms.

“Even better if you would quit going out and taking whatever else you can get your hands on. Gods know what is in those tablets. Damn it, Prompto, you could die.” Gladio encroached into Prompto’s personal space.

“Good,” he muttered.

“What did you say?”

Prompto looked up at him, his blue eyes hazed and out of focus. “I said good.”

 _Smack_.

Prompto’s head whipped to the side with the force of Gladio’s hand against his cheek; and instant sting and watering eyes.

“Gladio,” Ignis called him back. He stood. “This is not what he would have wanted for you.”

“What do you know what he would have wanted?” Prompto snapped. He could feel his cheek heat up.

“Noctis was under my care since I was six years old. It’s safe to say I know what he would want for his best friend.” Ignis adjusted his dark glasses.

“Why are you even here?” Prompto asked. Gods he was tired.

“You can’t be that stupid.”

“Gladio, please.” Ignis took a breath. “We want you to come with us to see him.”

“It’s just an empty tomb. There’s nothing there. _He’s_ not there!” Prompto shouted. “I heard him last night. I saw him. I just need to figure out what I took. Who was I dancing with?” Prompto fell into his own thoughts and plans for the night. Raven might know. Raven knew everything.

“You were hallucinating! There is no coming back from the dead.” Gladio crushed the Ebony can Prompto had drained.

“Gladio, please,” Ignis said calmly. “Prompto, we’re worried about you. This destructive behavior, it’s not going to end well for anyone.” He slowly made his way toward Prompto, trying his best to avoid the garbage on the floor. “You’re throwing away the life Noctis gave you. Do you really think he would want you to do that?”

“But…”

Ignis put a hand on his shoulder. “Would Noctis want this for you?”

Prompto’s eyes stung with tears. “I just…I want him back.”

“I know.” He pulled Prompto to him and held him as he broke down.

“Crying about it isn’t going to bring him back. Are you coming with us or not?”

His body ached, his head throbbed. He was so tired, but he knew he wasn’t going to sleep. Crashing was the absolute worst.

“I think he should rest. We’ll try again next week,” Ignis suggested.

Prompto wiped his tears away and nodded. “I’m going to bed.” He broke away from Ignis and shuffled toward his bedroom.

“You sound just like him,” Gladio said. There was a tinge of sadness in his voice.

Prompto paused a moment. He thought what he could possibly say in response, but no words came to mind. He sniffed and closed the bedroom door behind him.

 

The sun had started to set, leaving Prompto’s room in a hazy orange. Prompto picked up his heave head. He wiped the streaks of tears that trickled constantly since Ignis and Gladio left. There was no napping, he knew it. That’s not how the crash worked. The high was the greatest feeling since before that day, but the low left him wanting nothing to sleep forever without the actual release of sleep. It was time to get dressed and prepare for the night.

He got up and threw open his closet door with such force, a shoebox fell off the top shelf and spilled its contents onto the floor. Pictures by the dozens of smiling faces, silly poses, of Cindy and Iris, of chocobos and daemons. Of himself and Noct. Prompto pretended he didn’t notice Noctis’ smiling face staring up at him and grabbed the first shirt his hand touched and ripped it off the hanger. It was dirty and still had dust from the Hammerhead sands on it. He couldn’t do it. The skillful stiches of Ignis’ patch jobs looked like battle scars. He tossed the shirt onto his bed and grabbed a dark red sleeveless shirt and slipped it over his head and put on the same pants he wore the night before.

After adding final touches to make himself look like he had not in fact spent the whole day lying in bed silently crying and did his best to hide the slight swelling of his cheek, he was ready to leave. He grabbed his leather vest off the floor. The fallen pictures still demanded his attention.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice rough, “I have to go.”

As he was leaving his room, he noticed a white envelope on the table. It had Gladio’s writing on it, but he knew it was all Ignis’ doing.

_Rent and extra for some damn vegetables_

Prompto opened the envelope, extracted the gil inside and stuffed it into his wallet. There was no charming his way to get what he wanted this time. He locked the door behind him as he left. There was no turning back now.

It was dark by the time he got to the club. He waited in line, flirting with the girls around him to keep himself from fidgeting. They fell for his charms like always and got him passed the bouncer without him paying. He charmed them into buying a couple shots, which he chased down with some Ebony. He threw back another shot, slamming the glass upside down on the bar when he heard her.

“Two nights in a row? Going a little hard, aren’t we?” Raven asked over the pounding bass.

Prompto turned around and flashed her a smile. “I’m looking for someone.”

“Not going to find much at the bar,” she shot back.

“I found you, didn’t I? Did you by any chance see who I got my high from last night?”

Raven put a hand on her hip. “Prompto what are you doing?”

“Do you know her or not, Raven?” he snapped.

Raven glared at him. Those eyes. That hair. She sighed. “She’s not here. Her supplier is in the back. You can’t sweet talk him like those girls, Prompto.”

“It’s fine.” He finished his can of Ebony and turned to the girls to the other side of him. “Thank you for everything, ladies, but I have to go. Have a great night.”

The girls pouted, but he didn’t stick around to have them try to convince him to stay. He had a mission and no one was going to get in his way.

“Prompto, what are you doing?” Raven called after him, struggling to keep up.

He didn’t answer as he weaved his way around people and furniture. He fought his way to the back of the room and found a man sitting in the corner with a girl wearing a bikini top and booty shorts in his lap. It had to be the guy.

“Prompto!” Raven called, still trying to catch up to him.

“I’m looking to feel good and I hear you’re the guy who can help.”

The man looked up at him and sneered. “That all depends if you have anything for me.”

Prompto pulled out the wad of gil Iggy left him. “Whatever this can get me.”

The man raised his eyebrows. He snapped his fingers and another scantily clad woman pulled a small plastic bag out of her bikini. She handed him the bag and took the entire stack of gil in return.

Prompto smiled and winked. “Thanks.”

“Careful, too much fun can be…deadly.”

“Gotcha.” Prompto turned and popped one of the blue tablets into his mouth and swallowed.


	2. Chapter 2

“What are you doing? The last stuff can’t possibly be out of your system.” Raven finally caught up to him and noticed the small bag of what was once four tablets.

“It’s fine. I know what I’m doing.” He pocketed the baggie and smiled. “How about another round?”

“Absolutely not. You’ve had enough already.” She crossed her arms.

Prom pouted. “Oh come on, where’s your sense of adventure?”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. One Ebony. That’s it.”

One Ebony turned to two shots to another Ebony. He was starting to feel the effects of the tablet. He snuck another one when Raven was busy ordering another round. Before it could be served up, he dragged Raven onto the dancefloor.

The music pulsated and the energy vibrated around him. He danced closely to her. Raven’s concern seemed to be forgotten now she had alcohol in her.

_Prompto, stop._

He whipped around. Noctis’ voice clearly cut through the music. “Noct?” Out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he saw a flash of him. He forced his way through the crowd. “Noct? Noct!”

_What are you doing?_

“Prompto what the hell?” Raven shouted.

He turned and briefly saw him again. “Noct!” He reached out and touched a slender arm.

“Prompto?”

The music faded and everything went dark.

“Prompto!”

***

“Prompto, wake up.” A hand gently shook his shoulder. “Since when do _I_ have to wake _you_ up?”

Prompto groaned and slowly opened his eyes. “Wha…?” He blinked a few times as his focus sharpened.

Noctis sat on the edge of the bed. He smiled seeing Prompto awake.

“Noct?” He shot up in bed. “Is that really you?” He struggled with his blanket a moment before crawling closer to him. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched his face. Noct leaned into his touch.

“Please stop this,” he said softly. His dark eyes bore into Prompto. “I did not give everything up for this. I did not give _you_ up for this.”

Tears sprung into Prompto’s eyes. “What am I supposed to do without you? I’m nothing without you.”

“What about Iggy and Gladio? What about them?”

“I’m not in love with _them_. I want you back.” He sat back and pulled his knees to his chest. “I just want you back,” he sobbed. “I can’t do this without you.”

Noctis put an arm around his shoulders. “Yes you can. You have people to help you.” He pressed his lips to Prompto’s temple. “I’m always with you. I need you to take pictures again. I need you to live.”

“Why?” he cried. “Why can’t I be with you now?”

“Do you really want to put Ignis and Gladio through another loss?” Noctis held him close. “They need you too. We can’t be selfish.”

Prompto clung to Noctis’ abdomen. “Please, don’t go again.”

He kissed Prompto’s forehead. “I’m not going anywhere, but you need to wake up.”

He held on tighter. “No.”

“Please, wake up.”

 

“Prompto, please. Gods, please wake up.”

Prompto sluggishly opened his eyes. Slowly, a hospital room came to focus. On one side of his bed was Ignis, talking quietly to a doctor. On the other side, Raven sat holding his hand, crying. His head felt like it was made of lead.

“He’s awake. Ignis, he’s awake,” Raven said in disbelief.

“Ignis,” Prompto croaked. His mouth was a desert and his tongue felt fuzzy.

“Prompto, what were you thinking?” Ignis leaned over his bed. It sounded harsher than Prompto knew he meant it.

“I’m sorry.” He reached up and wrapped his arms around his neck. There was no stopping the tears that flowed freely down his face. “I’m sorry. I wanted to see him. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s okay. It will be okay,” Ignis assured him, rubbing his back as he sobbed.

 

***

“Prompto let’s go!” Gladio called from the other room.

Prompto snatched the camera off his night stand and hurried out of his bedroom. The apartment for the most part was cleaner than before. Framed pictures of happier times long ago hung along the walls. He smiled as he met up with his two friends. “Ready.”

“Grab a jacket. It’s supposed to cool off,” Ignis instructed.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s go.” He hurried out of the apartment before Ignis could say anything more.

It was a bright, sunny spring day. A cool breeze met Prompto as he stepped outside. He closed his eyes and smiled, taking in the warmth of the sun. He snapped pictures all the way there.

Gladio hadn’t completely stopped the car before Prompto hopped out and ran over to Noctis’ tomb.

“It’s been a while,” he said. “A lot’s happened.” He went on and on about the photos he had taken since their last visit, how he finally landed a professional photographer job, how much he missed him. “It’s really hard without you, Noct.”

“He’s still a big baby,” Gladio teased.

“Hey, I’m paying my own rent and have almost completely paid Iggy back. I’m no baby,” he pushed back.

“Still won’t eat healthy though,” Ignis pointed out.

“I do that for Noct.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Gladio scoffed. “I’m heading back to the car. Gotta get a move on if we’re going to make it back for dinner.” He and Ignis gave Prompto some time alone.

Prompto pulled out his old camera and a crinkled photo out of his vest pocket. The photo was one of the first selfies he had taken with Noctis when they were in high school. They were making silly faces in their uniforms. It seemed like an eternity since he took that picture. He bit his lip and placed the picture on the empty sarcophagus and weighed it down with the old digital camera.

“Thanks for making time for this loser.” He flashed a sad smile and turned to leave.

_Think what you will, but you’re good enough for me_.


End file.
